Hello All..I do not tow too much so excuse me if my description isn't accurate...I have a "Activator" brake control which is made by "draw-tite" , last night i hooked up my trailer (1 YO, used twice) and the brake controller didn't work at all, no lights lighting up on brake controller at all, etc...checked all wiring in the truck, getting power, no blown fuses, checked at factory dodge plug-in at bumper, getting power and controller is actually sending power back when i hit the brakes?!?!? Emergency brakes worked perfect when i pulled the plunger on the trailer and checked trailer wiring too...HERE IS THE KICKER, i towed it home last night empty w/ no trailer brakes (all lights work perfect including brake lights). About 10 miles into the trip, on the highway, all 4 brakes on the trailer completely lock-up for about 30 seconds and then just completely let go (scared the bejesus outta me! ) DO you think this is a bad brake controller alone that could cause this or would be a better assumption to assume their is a bigger problem?? ANY HELP would be appreciated, I was getting ready to tow out to the Carlisle show today..As always, Thank you

 

It could be the controller, or it could be a short between the +12V battery feed and the trailer brake wire in the trailer wiring harness/connector circuit. I've had a low resistance shorting problem in my truck when the stock 7-pin connector got packed with water and road grime and internally shorted the pins - disassembling the connector, cleaning it out thoroughly with WD-40 and packing it with dielectric grease cured the problem. Yours sounds more like a hard, intermittent short, though - could be hard to find! A problem in the trailer's breakaway circuit could also cause this - it would have to "make" the switch circuit for 30 seconds and then "break" it to produce the symptoms you describe - an intermittent short between the leads in the breakaway circuit could produce this.

Rusty

 

that makes sense actually, my connector was pretty bad inside and i cleaned it out, maybe it shorted the controller out...i think i will get a new connector too. My battery for the emergency brakes on the trailer was about dead, could that cause a problem?Thanks

 

When you get finished with the install of the new plug you may want to coat it with dielectric grease. The same stuff they use on light bulbs and spark plug wires. It protects the electrodes but will not allow corrosion and still allows good connections when plugged in